


Finding my Mate in New York

by Reylogirlforever



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: A/B/O, AO3 FB Challenge, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Completed, F/M, Fluffy Romance, PTSD, Reylo - Freeform, Reylo Weekly Challenge, Star Wars crossover, modern coffee shop A U
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-07 20:47:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15227580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reylogirlforever/pseuds/Reylogirlforever
Summary: Ben Solo was the epitome of an Alpha Male. Tall and strong, with a body that looked like Michaelangelo’s David, carved out of solid marble. He was solid and in control, commanding respect by his very presence. He had proven himself to be a lethal killing machine in Iraq. His new job at NYPD SVU, put him in touch with his nuturing side, especially toward women that had been abused. He could never understand how someone could harm their own mate, when all he had ever dreamed about was finding his.Rey a hopeless romantic, hoped that she had a True Mate out there somewhere waiting for her. She dreamed of the day when they would meet “just knowing” they were made for each other, the blue sparks that would appear on their skin as they touched confirming that knowledge. Until then, she would resist any other males. It was something that was becoming more and more difficult, due to her rare Omega genes.





	1. True Mates

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers. This little piece is for the Facebook AO3 Challenge. I don’t think it’s going to be very long. That would be up to you. Let me know what you think. Modern AU is new to me but this is what I spinned for the challenge. Hope you enjoy it. There will be at least one more chapter.

Coffee was one of the things Rey couldn’t live without. It was her one vice. She tried to make her own, but it just never tasted the same as it did at her favorite coffee shop, Solo’s.

  
Besides, it was only a block away from the resale shop where she worked. She liked working there because it was quiet and small, and not too many people came in.

  
She was a loner and really didn’t like being around people.

 

Solo’s was actually a little intimidating in the morning, because it was often packed with people like her stopping by for their coffee fix on the way to work.

  
Her status as an Omega also complicated things. There were so few of her kind around that often she would get a lot of unwanted attention from Alpha males. It was hard for an Omega to resist a commanding Alpha, it was just the way they were made. And a rare Omega was irresistible.

  
There was nothing unusual about her appearance that gave her away as an Omega, it was just that the Alphas could usually tell by her scent. In fact, she tried to dress in a way that was plain and unassuming. She didn’t wear make-up. She wanted to be anonymous.

She was unclaimed, which made matters even more difficult. She couldn’t count the number of times an Alpha had tried to mark her, “accidentally”. She didn’t want to be tied to a complete stranger.

  
Being a hopeless romantic, she hoped that she had a True Mate out there somewhere waiting for her. She dreamed of the day when they would meet “just knowing” they were made for each other, the blue sparks that would appear on their skin as they touched confirming that knowledge.

Until then, she would resist any other males. Besides, she was in no hurry to find a mate, she was only 19 or maybe 20. No one really knew. She had been an orphan. She had been raised by The Sisters of Charity, but now she was on her own. The diocese had closed the convent.

  
She pushed through the crowd in front to sit in her usual spot in the back corner. Most people were trying to get in and out of there quickly, and there weren’t too many people seated at the tables. The morning light streamed in through the huge glass windows, helping to wake her up. Mornings were not really her thing. She loved the smell of the coffee that was wafting through the shop.

This was her usual spot. Even better, she could order from her table and wouldn’t have to get jostled around in the line. She had struck up a friendship with the owner of the place, Leia Solo. Squeezing herself around the corner of the counter, she approached Rey with her usual order ready to go, a tall mocha with whipped cream and a ham and cheese flatbread.

  
“Good Morning Rey of sunshine” Leia smiled broadly at her, as she bowed her head to Rey dramatically.

  
“Good Morning Mrs. Solo.”

  
“Now, little Rey, what have I told you about that? It’s _Leia_.”

She wagged her finger at her teasingly.

“You’re going to make me feel old.”

  
“Alright, Good morning Leia.”

 

Rey huffed and rolled her eyes at the older woman. She could have been her Mother or Grandmother even.

 

It felt weird to call the older Alpha by her first name.

  
“Mind if I sit down?”

  
“No, of course not. Please.” She pulled out a chair for her.

  
Leia hoisted her tiny frame up onto the tall bistro chair. Her legs were dangling off, but so were Rey’s.

  
“So Rey, how is everything going with you? Any new suitors?”

  
Rey took a sip of her Mocha and smiled.

  
“Actual suitors that want to date me or horny Alphas that want to bite me and steal me away?”

  
Leia laughed.

  
“Actual suitors. Horny Alphas are a dime a dozen.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

  
“Well in that case, no.” She leaned into whisper it confidentially to Leia.

To anyone watching they must have looked as thick as thieves.

  
“Really?”

  
“Yes Really.”

  
“You need to meet my son.” She slapped her hand on the table like a judge with a gavel. It was a command.

  
Rey sighed. She didn’t want to hurt Leia’s feelings.

  
“It’s just that, as old-fashioned as it may sound, I feel like I have a True Mate out there somewhere. I’m just waiting for him to find me. I won’t settle for anything less than my destined mate.”

  
Leia leaned in to whisper at her again.

  
“That’s a good thing to want Rey, but did it ever occur to you that you might have to find _him_?

You know, actually open your eyes and look around you instead of hiding in that resale shop all day. How’s he going to find you if you are hiding?”

  
Leia was serious. _She had a point._

  
“I never really thought of it that way, I guess. It’s just so difficult because I get overwhelmed with being around too many people and then there’s the Alpha males always harassing me..”

  
“My son is an Alpha. He knows he would have to answer to me if he ever harassed you.” Leia put on a stern face. Then she made a spanking motion with her hands.

  
Rey burst out laughing, almost spitting her Mocha all over Leia and Leia erupted into laughter as well.

  
“Didn’t you say your son was like 6’5 or something....” she was choking and giggling even more at the thought of tiny Leia spanking her grown son.

  
“I’m still his mother.” She was serious for a second.

  
That threw Rey into another fit of laughter. Tears were running down her face and she held her aching sides.

  
“Oh my stars, I’ve got to get going. I’m going to be late for work. See you tomorrow.”

  
“Ok sweetheart, see you tomorrow.” And then she yelled at her as she was going out the door, “Think about what I said!”

  
Rey turned and made a face at her as she stepped out onto the street.  
If she ever had a mother, she would have wanted her to be like Leia she thought wistfully.

  
The morning traffic was heavy and there was a lot of honking and people crowding the sidewalks. Bodies pressed in on Rey. It made her anxious. She was used to the quiet of the convent. This was all still fairly new to her. Good thing it was only a block to the shop.

————————-

A man in a grey hoodie left Solo’s right after her. He really didn’t have to watch where she went, he would be able to follow her scent, her mouth-watering Omega scent, even though the New York streets were packed at this time of day.

He saw her go into the shop. He decided that he might want to shop there. He wasn’t really into resale, those things had been claimed, used and worn out, valued at a fraction of what they were originally worth. No. Used things weren’t for him. He wanted things that had never been claimed, never been touched....well one thing in particular.

He deserved a reward, he had been good for so long, now. Yes, he would have his reward. He watched her as she turned the key and let herself into the shop. He’d been watching her for awhile.

He knew she would be alone in the shop today.

 

————————-

 

Ben Solo was having a nightmare. He was back in Iraq with his unit. He watched his fellow Marine’s skull explode to his left as a sniper took him out. “Logan!” He yelled out in his sleep. His friend’s blood and little bits of his brains had splattered all over his face, that’s how close he was. It could have easily been him. It _should_ have been him.

  
He was the C/O. He was responsible for that kid. He was running, they all were. They had been ambushed once again, only this time the world went black as he took a hit.

  
When he woke up, he was hanging from a chain by his wrists. He had been wounded and captured. He was being tortured. They had attached car batteries to his body and... He had screamed until there was no voice left to scream with. He was screaming now. It woke him up.

  
He sat straight up in bed. Sweat drenched his body and the sheets. He was taking heaving breaths as his dark hair hung wildly in his face.

  
“You’re o.k. It’s just a dream” He was talking to himself, trying to soothe himself. He was alone, there was no one else there that could help him. He had to rely on himself.

He was re-living all the shock, fear, guilt, and pain as though it had just happened. The problem was, it happened almost every night for him. He balled his hands into fists.

“PTSD sucks!” He yelled out in frustration.

  
He tried to meditate, to calm himself, the way his Uncle had taught him. His Uncle belonged to the Jedi Religion and had taught him about their belief in The Force as they called it. It worked for him sometimes, the meditation calming him, even if he didn’t fully believe in the Force.

  
The Force shall free me.

  
There is no emotion, there is peace.

  
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

  
There is no passion, there is serenity.

  
There is no chaos, there is harmony.

  
There is no death, there is the Force.”

  
He repeated it over and over until he had calmed.

  
By the time he was done, it was time to get ready for work. He showered and dressed, strapping on his shoulder-holster as he left his apartment, headed to his job at the NYPD’s SVU or Special Victims Unit.

He was a detective that dealt with primarily sexual assault victims. It was hard work and often heart-wrenching, but it was rewarding enough. Taking predators off of the street was never a bad thing. At least he felt like he was contributing something to society.

  
Ben was the epitome of an Alpha Male. Tall and strong, with a body that looked like Michaelangelo’s David, carved out of marble. He was solid and in control, commanding respect by his very presence. He was a lethal killing machine but he also had a nurturing side, especially toward women that had been abused. He could never understand how someone could harm their mate, when all he had ever dreamed about was finding his.

Women were precious gifts, not something to be used and abused. It was this attitude that fueled his passion for his work.

He stopped by his mother’s shop before heading into the precinct.

  
“Good morning mother.”

  
“Ben, good morning my son. You look tired. Did you not sleep?”

  
“I Uh...had the dreams again last night..”

  
“I’m so sorry son. What did the VA doctors say about that?”

  
“I’d rather not go into all that right now. Have you heard from Dad?”

  
“No. You know he’s out on the boat. The Millennium Falcon is his real wife now, I’m just chopped liver.” She smiled at him and rolled her eyes.

  
“Speaking of which, I really want you to meet my friend Rey. You just missed her.”

  
“Mother....I don’t have time to talk about this right now. Can I get my coffee please?”

  
“Of course dear.”

  
Leia handed him his breakfast.

  
“Thanks Momma.”

  
He kissed her cheek and headed out the door toward the precinct.

  
As he was walking down the street he heard a woman scream. It was odd, because there was so much street noise, he shouldn’t have been able to hear much of anything. It was like he had heard it in his head.

  
He jogged about a block until he came to the resale shop called Niima Outpost. The door was ajar, but the lights were off. He heard the scream again and slowly entered the shop with his gun drawn. He could see a light on in a back room.

  
That’s when he caught her scent. _The_ scent. The best scent in the entire world. But there was also the scent of blood. He ran to the back to see a Beta in a Hoodie holding a knife to her throat.

  
He froze. Their eyes met. _Mine_. He thought. She was _his_. His true mate, he was sure, there was no doubt. Her clothes were torn. The other man had touched her, or worse.

  
“She is mine!” It came out as a growl, a ferile, wild sound. He grabbed the knife from his hand and had him pinned to the floor and cuffed in seconds.

  
He bared his teeth.

  
“I should kill you.” He spat out.

  
“Kill you because you even thought you could take what was mine!”

  
He kneeled on the Beta’s neck, grinding his knee into his neck to make it hurt more.

  
“Kill you for touching the most precious thing in the world, my true mate!”

  
He was losing control. He was seriously considering murdering him right there when he heard her voice in his head, just like he had heard her scream.

  
“Alpha. I need you.”

  
He stopped and went to her. He took her tiny hand in his and when he did, blue sparks danced on their skin. There was no doubt now.

  
“Alpha.” She whimpered.

  
She lifted up her shirt to show him angry cuts across her abdomen. She was bleeding. The wounds didn’t look too deep, they had been done to inflict pain...

  
“Did he hurt you anywhere else?” His voice was desperate. He held her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

  
“No, he.....uh...he just.....he tried to...”

  
Her voice trailed off as her eyes filled with tears. The shock was wearing off and the realization of what had just happened was hitting her.  
His body shuddered as his rage rose. He wanted to rip the assailant to shreds. He was going to kill him. He didn’t deserve to consume air....

  
Her crying distracted him once again. He had to focus on her. He could kill him later.

  
He took off his shirt and pressed it into the wounds to stop the bleeding.  
He called 911 on his cell. Help would be there any minute. The precinct was only a few blocks away.  
He gathered her up in his arms and gazed down at his mate.

  
“Please, please let me mark you. I don’t want you to go to the hospital unclaimed.”  
He ran his hands through his raven hair. This was not ideal, but someone could steal her from him there, maybe even without her knowledge, if they put her under......It happened all the time, especially to rare Omegas.

  
To his surprise, she nodded.

  
“I don’t even know your name.”

  
He was speaking to her very softly, intimately, as if they had known each other for years.

  
“I’m Rey”

  
“Rey, I’m yours and you are mine. I’m Ben.”

  
“This is not really how I had envisioned this but, please forgive me, I just can’t risk losing you. I’ve waited a long time to finally find you. You are far too precious to me.”

  
Rey opened her neck to him so he could mark her.

  
He bent his head to her neck and licked her scent gland, just below her ear. She smelled like _home_.

  
She sighed in response.

  
He kissed it and she let out a little whimper. She was trembling in anticipation.

  
“Wait.... I can’t do this now. This is supposed to be more special for you. I don’t want you to remember this day, _like this.._..”

  
_She needs to choose me too...I won’t take from her, not after this..._

  
“Alpha please.” she whispered.

  
“I want you and I will claim you, but not right now. You’re so beautiful, but you are bleeding and in shock and pain. This isn’t the right time. I’m not letting you out of my sight until it is.”


	2. Every part of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben protects Rey from others. Rey reacts.

Ben kneeled next to his mate and waited for help to arrive.

The paramedics and beat cops arrived. He stepped away from her and gave them a quick statement. They hauled the assailant into the back of their car. Ben wished he could have killed him or at least majorly fucked him up, he _really_ did.

He had hurt her, he had probably scarred her in more ways than one. He didn’t deserve a fair trial, consequences be damned. He balled his hands into fists and took a deep breath. He had to get control of emotions.

Her scent and the other males in her proximity was making him more aggressive and out of control than usual. He barred his teeth, it was difficult to contain a growl that was threatening to erupt from his chest.

Ben’s cell vibrated. It was Liv, his Lieutenant.

“Solo, theres been a sexual assault near you at the Niima Outpost. address is..”

Ben interrupted her.

“I know, I’m the one who called it in. I’m here now, but send Fin or someone else because the victim is my mate. I witnessed part of her attack and stopped it. I have to go with her to the hospital.”

The paramedics were touching her, he was distracted. He didn’t want anyone touching her. It was wrong. He didn’t trust them.

“Liv, I have to go. Put me on leave for a few days.”

He hung up on her. That probably was not the smartest move, but he would deal with that later. Right now the only thing that mattered was Rey.

He moved to insert himself between Rey and the paramedics. One hadalready started an IV and had gone to get the stretcher. The other was reaching to lift her shirt in order to inspect her wounds.

“Nope. Stop right there. You’re not lifting her shirt.”

The paramedic, “Jim” his name tag said, looked confused.

“You are not going to _touch_ her, do you understand me?” His voice was infused with his Alpha authority and a touch of belligerence.

“Jim” backed down.

“How am I supposed to treat her then?”

“I’ve seen her wounds, they are going to need stitches. Paramedics don’t do stitches. There is nothing for you to treat.”

“Sir, ..uh...you are stopping me from doing my job here.” “Jim” looked dumb-founded.

“That is correct.”

He flashed his badge at him.

“I’m Detective Solo with the 16th Precinct.”

“Jim” wasn’t impressed. He seemed more confused in fact.

“I’m going to lift her onto the stretcher myself and you are not going to interfere. Then I am going to ride with her in the back of the ambulance. You will ask my permission first in the event that she will need you to attend to her medical needs. You will not _touch_ her. Do you understand me Beta?”

It was difficult for him to keep the venom out of his voice. Calling the man by his designation had been an insult. He was starting to come undone. He had to get control of himself.

“Yes, Detective.”

“Jim” stepped back from Rey and looked down at her helplessly.

Ben kneeled down beside her and spoke softly into her ear.

“Rey, are you doing ok? What do you need?” “Your Alpha is here.”

He stroked her hair, attempting to comfort her. The little blue sparks that covered his hands sent shivers down his spine.

“Ben...I don’t know what I need. I just want to feel safe again.”

Her tears welled up and ran down her cheeks. Ben caught them with his thumbs. His face was solemn, his eyes sad. He knew what she was going through. He had seen it too many times before.

“Look at me my sweet Omega.”

He tilted her chin up with his thumb so she could see his eyes. They were soft. He spoke to her in low soothing tones.

“I am here. Your Alpha is here. There is nothing for you to fear ever again. I’m going to stay with you. I will take care of you, always. In time you will see.”

She blinked up at him. But instead of speaking with her mouth, she was inside his head.

“ _Thank you, Alpha.”_

So it was true.... Omegas could speak to their mate’s minds. After he claimed her, he would be able to speak to her mind as well.

_His mate_.

He never thought he would find her and now she was here.

She laid her head down on his chest.

Ben’s heart was full, his chest was warm, the feel of her head on his chest, her touching him, was right. Her scent told him that although she was in pain, that she was open to him, that she found comfort in him, that he was soothing her.

She was accepting him. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to just feel her closeness, take in her intoxicating scent, and savor the moment.

“Jim” came back with the stretcher. At the sight of the pair together everything clicked.

Ben started to pick her up and she winced in pain.

“Rey. I’m sorry.”

“Detective, um. If you want to pick her up under her arms, then I can lift her feet, if that’s okay with you, that way we won’t be causing her any discomfort as you put her on the stretcher.”

“Jim” had been very careful with his wording and he didn’t make eye contact. He could see that this Alpha had just met his true mate and she was wounded. He felt lucky that he had been allowed to live for trying to touch her. He knew how aggressive an Alpha could be at a time like this, and it was very clear that the one in front of him was on the brink of snapping.

Ben nodded at him and they lifted her onto the stretcher and Ben held her hand as they entered the ambulance.

Jim sat as far away from the detective as he could. He knew what he was dealing with now. The detective hadn’t claimed his mate yet. Every male was a threat. That fact that she was an Omega made it even worse.

“Detective, if you like, I can call ahead and see if we can get female staff to care for your mate when we arrive.”

My mate....

“Thank you, Jim, is it? That would be best.”

He held both of her tiny hands in his and gazed down at her. She looked pale and she was trembling all over.

“Talk to me Rey, are you in a lot of pain?”

“Some, but it’s not too bad.”

He could tell she was struggling _mentally_. It was a very common reaction after an assault. Only this was his mate. It was breaking his heart.

“We’re going to get you through this. Everything is going to be ok. I promise.”

He kissed her hand and turned it to kiss the scent gland on her wrist. He rubbed it with his thumb. Waves of reassurance washed over her. She closed her eyes. She started to calm down. A warmth spread in her chest.

_My Alpha_...

 

————————

 

Metro hospital had accommodated the request for female staff. After they stitched her wounds they put her in a room and talked to her about the rape kit.

“I um. He tried to touch me, uh..down there..but I bit him and it stopped him.....”

She was shivering thinking about how he had ripped her clothes and then cut her after she bit him, how he seemed to _enjoy_ her screams...

“Shhh. Rey. It’s alright. You don’t need to say anything else.”

His voice was soft, tender, his focus solely on her. He was _made_ to care for her. He knew what she needed better than she did herself.

He rubbed circles with his thumbs over the scent glands on her neck. She stopped shivering. His touch soothed her.

“You’re only going to need the saliva test, nurse.” The softness in his voice disappeared.

“Detective, you of all people know this is standard procedure,......”

“No. You’re not going to make her go through that. It’s not happening.”

His Alpha authority won out. It was a command.

Finally, after Ben had fought them tooth and nail over every little thing, he was able to take her home. He just wanted her away from everyone so he could keep her safe, help her to work through what had happened today, have her all to himself.

They offered him a wheelchair, but he carried her out to the car that was waiting. Rey clung to him and listened to his heartbeat as her head rested against his chest.

_Safe, home, mine.._.

Ben didn’t keep a car in the city. He had never needed one when living in Manhattan. Fin had offered to pick them up, he was his partner at the precinct. That’s what partners did, they had each other’s back at all times.

“So, where to partner?” He mouthed at Ben, silently “Oh my God, her scent..”

Ben glared at him. Fin knew how to push his buttons, but he wasn’t lying. It was insane how good she smelled and it was only amplified by the enclosed space inside the car.

Ben looked down at Rey. Her lashes were heavy. They had given her a sedative to help her with the trauma and pain.

“Rey, do you want me to take you to your place, or would you like to come to mine? Either way, I’m not leaving your side.”

“We can go to mine, I have a king size bed....” Her voice was slurring. She was stoned off of the meds. She nuzzled into his chest and closed her eyes.

Fin gave Ben a look and raised one eyebrow.

“Yeah, Ben.... she has a king size _bed_...”

That earned him another death stare. He would get even with Fin later...

“Fin, you know what, just let’s go to my place. She’s out.”

“Don’t you know where she lives?”

“Nope.”

“And she’s your mate?”

“Correction, she’s my True Mate and I only just met her.”

“When?”

“Well Fin, did I say I had a mate yesterday?”

“Uh, no.”

“So, there you go.”

“I heard her screaming inside my head as that bastard was cutting her up this morning on my way in to the precinct. I got to her just in time.”

“She’s the Niima Outpost victim?”

“Yep.”

“Holy shit.”

“That pretty much sums up my day.”

 

————————

 

Ben carried her up to his condo and laid her on his bed. He took her shoes and socks off and tucked her in. She was still out. It was probably a good thing.

_His tiny little mate. So beautiful_.

He climbed into bed with her and spooned in behind her, on top of the covers. He didn’t want to freak her out in the morning, as much as he wanted to feel her bare skin on his.

He knew he would be waiting a while for that, after everything that had happened. It didn’t matter. She was _here_ , and that was all that mattered.

He watched her sleep for a long time, loving how her lashes fluttered when she was dreaming and how she made little noises in her sleep.

Studying the freckles on her skin, he tried to memorize each one as he swirled little patterns on her bare arm with his fingers, entranced by the tiny blue sparks.

He stroked her hair and twirled it between his fingers. He wondered what it would be like to to kiss her lips. What would she taste like?

Finally he planted a little kiss on her bare shoulder and drifted off to sleep listening to her breathing and the sound of her heartbeat, immersed in her sweet scent.

For the first time in a long time, he didn’t dream or wake up in a cold sweat with adrenaline pumping through his system and Iraq running through his head.

 

————————-

 

Rey’s eyes fluttered open. It took her a moment to get her bearings.

Where was she? Her head hurt. Had she been drinking? Then she felt Ben shift next to her on the mattress and she remembered.

Her head was laying on his arm and he had it wrapped protectively around her shoulders. Her stitches hurt, her breasts felt bruised.

A wave of panic washed over her.

Ben, who was still asleep somehow sensed this and pulled her closer to him.

“I’ve got you.” He whispered almost unintelligibly.

Even in his sleep he was soothing and protecting her.

_Her mate._

She thought he was probably the most attractive man she had ever seen. Had she met him under any other circumstances, she probably would have hidden from him, his form was so imposing, his Alpha energy so strong.

She admired his muscular arms and his solid chest. Even though he was still wearing his undershirt, she had felt his muscles when her carried her. His long dark hair looked soft. She wondered if it was as soft as it looked. She wanted to touch it.

She remembered how he had been so tender with her and how his voice had been soft and reassuring. 

He had rescued her from her attacker, and soothed her at the hospital. He had brought her to his home and watched over her all night apparently.

He was still dressed and on top of the sheets, which meant he wanted to be near her, but didn’t want to overwhelm her. She knew.

Finally, she ran her hands through his hair. Her heart felt so full. This was right. Using her thumbs, she traced every inch of his face, willing herself to commit it to memory, the angle of his jaw, the curve of his brow, his strong nose and the softness of his full lips. The little sparks danced on his skin.

His scent was everywhere. He smelled like the forest and copper and something uniquely his own. The smell of _home_. She had waited for this man, fought off a barrage of pushy Alphas. She was glad she did.

She wanted more than anything to smell like him, so that she was more _his_.

She rubbed her cheek on his neck and placed a tiny kiss on the scent gland just below his ear. She was shocked by the jolt of pleasure that surged through her body.

There was a whining sound. Was that her? She gasped. This had literally stolen the breath from her lungs and thrown her for a loop. Everything was throbbing.

Every part of her wanted every part of him.

Ben woke up immediately. Before he even opened his eyes scenarios were running through his brain. He was automatically in warrior mode. Assess the situation and act quickly....

He could smell that she was aroused, had heard her whine in pleasure. Was someone here touching her, trying to take her from him, trying to claim her?

His eyes snapped open.

What he saw was not what he had expected.

“Rey, what’s going on? Is someone...”

He stopped talking because she had a hungry look in her eyes and she was softly pressing her lips to his.

His scent was on her face. Had she scented him while he was asleep? That could only mean one thing. She had accepted him.

In his head all he heard was:

“ _Claim me Alpha, please.”_

A soft growl erupted from his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, friends. Let me know what you think. Is Ben going to claim her, or make her wait?
> 
> While you are waiting check out my other A/B/O fic, The Lycan in You and I. : 0


	3. Be Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben tries to do what’s best for Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait readers, I’ve been on vacation. I tried to write, but just couldn’t seem to get the flow going. But I’m back now and there are a few more chapters coming. Let me know if you like it. ;)

He had told her no, but she was kissing him anyway.

Wrapping his hands in her hair, he indulged himself and closed his eyes as she pressed her lips against his.

Rey pulled back to search his face.

“ _Please_ Alpha, claim me. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“No....Not yet, beautiful. It’s too soon for you. I have to put your care above my own desires. You are too important to me. I will always put you first, even if it means I have to tell you no sometimes.”

He stroked her cheeks with his hands and gazed down into her warm hazel eyes. He still couldn’t believe she was here. His heart did a little flip in his chest at the realization that she was going to be his.

“Don’t you want me?”

_What if he didn’t really want her.... maybe he just felt sorry for her because of the attack...._

“I want you more than _anything_. I’ve been waiting for you too. There are things we have to discuss and I want to make everything special for you. You deserve to have anything and everything that you want.”

She nodded, but still feared his rejection.

“I want you to _know_ me first. I won’t tie you to me while we are virtual strangers, because after I claim you, things are going to move very quickly. I want to make sure you are ready and that I am what you really want.”

She could tell from his soft brown eyes that he meant every word of what he had just said.

He pressed his forehead to hers.

 _Damn, how he wanted her too_.

He hadn’t realized that he was all but panting from the close contact with her.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to resist mating her once he had given her his claim-mark. With her recent assault, she would not be ready. He had to give her time. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him.

He could wait. _He was stronger than this...._

Still, her body was on fire for him.

Sensing her strong desire, Ben pressed a palm to her throat and using his Alpha influence helped her to calm down, eventhough everything inside of him was pushing him to claim her.

“Be calm now, little Omega.”

It was a command, there was no questioning it. Rey’s breathing slowed and she relaxed.

He planted a tender kiss on her forehead as he got up.

“By the way, in case you were wondering, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”

She blushed from head to toe as he stepped away from her and in to the bathroom.

He showered and dressed quickly.

When he was finished, he returned to her.

“Rey, Baby, do you think you can sit up for me?”

He wrapped his arms around her and helped her to sit up.

“Do you need to use the bathroom? You can’t shower yet.”

She nodded.

He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He waited at the door and carried her back to his bed when she was done.

Rey, little mate, how are you feeling? Tell me what you need.

“Ben, I just want to rest. Will you stay here with me?”

“Of course. Nothing could keep me away.”

He kissed her cheek and sat next to her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Would you like to watch something on TV or maybe a movie.”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

“What’s your favorite?

“I love Star Trek. Do you have any of the episodes?”

“I have all of the episodes. It’s one of my favorites too. Which one is your favorite?”

“Trouble with Tribbles.”

“It’s mine too. Do you want to watch that one or shall we start from the beginning and watch them all?”.

“Let’s start from the beginning.”

Rey smiled.

It was the best thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

They stayed in bed together all day watching Star Trek.Ben ordered food to be sent up by the concierge and waited on her hand and foot.

He brushed her hair for her and massaged her scalp and later rubbed her little feet.

Ben had never been happier in his life. He finally had his mate with him and he was pampering her, caring for her, doing all the little things he had dreamed about doing for his mate.

“I can’t believe you’re here like this with me.”

He felt as close to crying tears of joy as he had ever been in his life.

He held her tighter, pressing her closer to him. He couldn’t get close enough to her.

“You’re So beautiful. I know I keep saying that, but it’s only because it’s true. My God, what did I ever do to deserve you?”

“Ben, you have been so kind to me. No one has ever really shown me the care that you have given me. I grew up as an orphan. I just want to be with you always. It feels right. I only want to please you, Alpha. Please, tell me how to.

She gazed up at him, waiting for his response.

_So handsome.._

“You are enough. You don’t have to do anything to please me.”

After watching most of The original Star Trek series and eating a bunch of Chinese food, it was time to go to sleep for the night.

“Ben, you don’t have to sleep on top of the covers. Please just come here.”

She held up the blankets for him and he slid in behind her, spooning up against her back. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed. Nothing was better than this.

She spoke to his mind.

“ _Thank you for taking such good care of me today, Alpha.”_

 _“_ It is my pleasure. I will always take care of you.”

He planted a little kiss on her shoulder.

Soon Rey drifted off to sleep and Ben followed.

 

In the middle of the night, he shouted out in his sleep.

“Logan!”

He was re-living the nightmare, the ever-present shadow that haunted him, Iraq.

It jolted Rey awake.

He was having a nightmare...

She spoke to his mind first.

“ _Ben, it’s me, wake up, Baby. It’s just a bad dream.”_

He whimpered and tears ran down his face, his body breaking out into a sweat.

She spoke out loud.

“Ben wake up!”

He was too deep.

She turned and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into his chest.

“Alpha, your Omega is here. Shhh. It’s ok. Breathe with me my strong mate. She stroked his face with her hands. His breathing began to slow and match hers.

“ _I’m here, you’re not alone. I’m yours and you are mine. I love you Alpha.”_

A few moments later, he opened his eyes.

“Rey, you helped me break out of my nightmare. Thank you. I’ve never been able to do that before.”

“Before? You have these bad dreams all the time?”

“Yes. I have PTSD from my tours in Iraq. I used to be a Marine. But you helped me just now, more than you know. I usually have to get up and meditate to calm back down afterwards.

 _My poor mate_. She knew all to well what it was like to be afraid and have to calm yourself, talk yourself back to sanity.

“You calmed me instantly. I don’t deserve you. Thank you, my little Omega. You are amazing.”

Her Alpha was pleased. It was what she was made for. She smiled to herself, fully content.

She nuzzled into his chest and fell back to sleep in his arms, right where she belonged.

He held her close, rubbing her back, cherishing the intimacy, her softness, her scent. She was such a gift. Peacefully, he drifted off to sleep with the center of his world secure in his arms.

He awoke the next morning holding her, their bodies entwined.

It was right and good. She had her head on his heart. The heart that was beating now, only for her. He stroked her hair and savored the feel of her body pressed to his. 

_My little mate. I love you too_.

He had heard her tell him as she was waking him from his nightmare, it was what had snapped him out of it.

 

As much as he didn’t want to, he got up, dressed and called Liv.

“Liv, I’m sorry I hung up on you the other day. I was more than a little stressed.”

“No problem, Solo. Just don’t make a habit of it. How’s your mate doing?”

“She’s recovering, but we haven’t really talked about the attack too much. Any news on the perp?”

“Yeah. You were really lucky you stopped him when you did. This guy is a repeat offender. It seems like he’s wanted in more than a few states for sexual assault, rape, and a suspect in a dozen murder cases. He’s been off the radar for a few years. I’m not sure if we are going to prosecute him here, or if we are extraditing him to California. He’s wanted there for the stabbing deaths of at least 4 women.”

“What’s this asshole’s name?”

“Alistair Snoke.”

“I want to keep my mate away from trial if it’s at all possible.”

“Understood. I think California’s got a stronger case, but I’ll keep you informed. When are you coming back to work?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Take all the time you need. You’ve got lots of leave since you never take vacation. I’ll be in touch if anything changes.”

“Thanks Liv.”

 

He stepped back into the bedroom. Rey was stirring.

“Good morning beautiful.”

He gazed down at her. Her hair was a mess. She was in his bed. He liked it. It made him happy.

Rey yawned.

“Good morning handsome.”

He scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom.

“I had the concierge bring you some things.”

She went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and brushed her hair, put on some deodorant, splashed some water on her face. When she opened the door Ben was waiting.

“My Alpha. So strong and attentive...”

He scooped her up and put her back down on the bed.

“Ben, I can walk. You don’t have to carry me everywhere.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure. I don’t want you to fall. Besides, I like carrying you.”

He smiled. Her heart felt full.

“That’s ok. I kinda like it when you do too.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Of course she liked it. She was Omega through and through.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling ok, but I’m a little sore in places.”

He took a deep breath, attempting to quell his anger at that.

“Can you show me where it hurts?”

“Uh... well...um..I just think I may have some bruises..”

“Where?”

She motioned awkwardly toward her breasts.

He balled his hands into fists. He had to stay in control of his anger right now, he didn’t want her to scare her.

“How about your stitches?”

“They don’t really hurt, but they are itchy.”

“Can I take a look?”

She nodded and lifted her shirt. She was feeling a little uncomfortable at that.

“Shh. It’s okay. I’m just checking to make sure everything is healing properly. Please, just let me take care of you.”

She relaxed at those words.

“Thank You, Alpha..”

He stroked her hair as he inspected her stitches. He caught a glimpse of a bruise at the bottom of her right breast.

Fuck.

He knew she would see it in the mirror at some point and it would bring her back to the moment when she received it.

That sick bastard had marked her skin. The thought enraged him beyond all reason. He didn’t want her to see it.

She wouldn’t see it. He would protect her from it.

“Rey, what do you know about the packs?”

“Not much really. I grew up in a convent and the nuns knew I had wolfblood but they taught me to resist the primal urges as much as possible. They didn’t want me to “embrace the wolf inside” as they would say.”

“That’s ok. I can teach you about us. My family is a little bit different from most. The packs are as you can imagine very concerned with bloodlines and tradition. Even as we live amongst people without wolfblood, we have our own society and hierarchy. Just as there is a President of the United States, there is also a pack Alpha and Luna, descended from a royal bloodline.

My mother is currently the North American Luna, my father does not have any wolfblood so he cannot be the Alpha. I am the next in line for that. The whole reason I am telling you this right now, is because our bloodline has a special gift. We have the ability to heal certain types of wounds. I didn’t do it yesterday because of how we do the healing. I want to heal your wounds, Rey. Please allow me to.”

“Yes. Whatever you want Alpha.”

“Let me know if this is uncomfortable for you in any way. Know that I only want to care for you and heal you.”

He started with the bruises on her wrists. Lapping at them with his tongue made the bruises disappear.

“I love your little wrists. They are so delicate. You are like a rare blossom, so petite and pure.”

She tried to hold back a whimper as pleasure surged through her body once again.The feel of his tongue on her skin was doing things to her, things she didn’t even fully understand.

He could smell her need of him. It was making him weak.

“Can I kiss you? I was going to wait but, I don’t think I can.”

“Of course Alpha.”

He bent his head and very gently tasted her lips.

_Strawberries, she tasted like strawberries._

His heart was flying. The feel of her sighing into his mouth was like nothing he had ever imagined.

He held her in his arms.

“You are all I will ever want or need, Rey.”

He brushed the her hair back out of her face, so he could look into her eyes.

She was trembling under his touch.

“Ben, please don’t let this end. I’m so happy.”

“Your happiness is my main concern.”

He knew better than to continue kissing her. He was weak enough as it was.

“Lay back for me.”

He lifted her shirt and began lapping at the three angry slashes across her stomach that had been stitched up. He pulled the stitches out as he licked the wounds again to seal them and remove the scarring. He ran his tongue over her belly with long swipes, bathing the slash marks with his healing saliva.

She was going to die from this. There was no question about it. Her body was wanting something so badly. Only she wasn’t quite sure exactly what it was. She was burning alive. Her legs were trembling. The feel of him holding her down firmly as he licked at her was strangely comforting. The sparks danced across her skin and her breathing came out in Short gasps as he continued to lick at her wounds.

“Please Alpha. _Please_...”

“No little mate. Be calm.”

He wasn’t feeling very calm himself. It was all he could do to keep his focus. Her skin smelled and tasted so good. He wanted to taste _all_ of her. She was all but writhing with want underneath him. It would be so easy to just bring her, just once, to just go down a little lower with his mouth.

He pushed her shirt up higher, baring her breasts. The bruises stopped him dead in his tracks. There was a handprint shaped bruise on her right breast. Clearly a thumbprint on the bottom and three fingers on the top.

The sight made him shudder in rage. That piece of trash had grabbed her breast hard enough to leave an ugly blue and yellow bruise. He had no right to touch her, to even look at her.

 _Mine. No one would mark her, except for him_.

He moved up her body planting little kisses on the way. When he reached the bruises, he lapped at them gently. They disappeared quickly. He took her little nipple in his mouth and sucked for a moment, indulging his strong desire for her, ending with little kisses that he trailed up to her neck.

Her neck. _Fuck_ , how he wanted to bite her, claim her, mark her as his. She was _his_ , there could be no other.

“I want you Alpha. Please claim me.”

She opened her neck to him.

“No little mate. Not yet.”

Tears began to roll down her cheeks. Tears of frustration, tears of want, tears of insecurity.

“Why? I want to be yours so badly.”

“And you will be, in time.”

He scented her neck, rubbing his neck to hers and picked up her wrist nibbling on it as he inhaled her luscious scent.

Finally he kissed her. Really kissed her. She opened her mouth to him and he slid his tongue inside, fully tasting her.

Her pheromones drove him even higher. His pupils were blown wide and they were both panting, trying to be closer and kiss deeper and breathe at the same time. It was impossible to get close enough.

Their hands were everywhere. Sparks danced between them. He needed to be inside her. Needed to, in the same way he needed to breathe air. It was natural and right.

_This has to stop._

He pulled back carding his fingers into her hair.

“You’re going to kill me, you know that? I’m going to die. We have to stop.”

“Ben, I don’t _want_ to stop.”

“I don’t want to either, but we are _going_ to. God, what you do to me, Rey..... We’ve got to get out of this apartment, away from this bed. Do you feel up to it?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Good. Do you like coffee? I know a place near here we can go.”

“I love it. It’s one of my favorite things.”

“One thing though... You have to stay close to me when we go out. I don’t want anyone to steal you. You smell amazing, plus you are devastatingly beautiful.”

She rolled her eyes at him.

“Yeah, right.”

“No, I mean it. You are. How can you not know how beautiful you are?”

Now she was blushing. She didn’t know what to say.

He pulled her in close and kissed her forehead.

“Just accept it. You’re beautiful.”

She smiled up at him.

“Oh, I almost forgot. We’re not leaving here until I thoroughly scent you. I want everyone to know you are mine.”

“Give me your claim mark then. Why won’t you?”

“I’ll explain everything over coffee.”

“Please do.”

 _Do you not know how much I love you?_ That’s what she really wanted to say, but she didn’t have the courage. Not yet anyway.

He set about scenting her wrists, rubbing his larger ones against hers. Then he rubbed her wrists on his neck. When he bent down to rub his neck glands on hers, she thought she was going to spontaneously combust.

“Oh God. Ben...”

She was panting again, her body on fire, her glands throbbing, all of them. The feel of his body rubbing against hers and his hands on her, his scent, it was all too much. He could smell the wetness between her legs. It called to him like a drug. His body was instantaneously responding to hers.

“Fuck. We have got to get out of here before I change my mind and throw you down on the bed.”

He picked her up and ran out into the corridor of his building. It was safer out there. He set her on her feet and caught his breath. She was struggling with her own desire as much as he was.

He placed his palm on her throat.

“Be calm, my beautiful Omega.”

She calmed and his heartbeat slowed to match hers.

“Let’s get out of here.”


	4. Ben’s Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben makes a huge mistake.

 They had to leave the apartment. The sexual tension was too much for both of them.

Ben tucked Rey securely underneath his arm, to keep her steady on her feet and to keep her as close as possible to him as they rode the elevator down from his penthouse apartment. He actually owned the entire building, but only some of the pack knew that.

They stepped out on to the street. It was morning, but after the initial rush of people trying to get to work. The air was warm. He kept her on the inside of the street as they walked down a few blocks to his mother’s coffee shop. He was a little on edge, his warrior instincts kicking in, scanning the area for any threats.

“Rey, are you doing ok?”

He looked down at her. She was so tiny next to him. He gave her hip a little squeeze.

“Yes. I feel fine now. Thank you for healing me.”

She smiled up at him.

“I could carry you if you need me to.”

A crooked grin appeared on his face.

“You know I would love that, but I think it might look a little weird to everyone else.”

They passed Niima Outpost. If Rey noticed, she didn’t say anything. He held on to her a little tighter.

They walked another block until they were standing in front of Solo’s.

“Ben, this is my favorite place.”

He smiled to himself. _She didn’t know...of course she didn’t.._

“It’s mine too.”

He scanned the shop. There was no sign of his mother.

He led her to the table in the back corner, the one he always sat at when he had time to stay.

“Hey, this is my table.”

“Mine too.”

“I’ve been coming here every morning for a year and sitting at this table. The lady that owns this place is my friend. Her name’s Leia.”

_How many times had his mother told him he needed to meet her friend Rey.....no way...really? Why hadn’t he realized this earlier...it’s not like Rey was a very common name for a woman..._

“I’ve been coming here since it opened. I know Leia very well.”

“How did we not run into each other before I wonder...”

“I don’t know. I guess I should have listened to my mother...”

Before she could ask what he meant by that, Leia appeared from around the counter, a look of shock on her face. Her focus was on Rey.

“Rey, are you alright? I heard about what happened at the shop, and when you didn’t come in I was so worried, then I realized I didn’t even have your phone number...”

She hugged Rey with all her might. Rey’s tears started to flow. Leia was the closest thing she had ever had to a mother. She let her emotions out.

“Oh Leia, it was awful. I was so scared, the man cut me with a knife. He tried to you know... he tore my clothes...but Ben saved me, he stopped my attacker and took care of me..”

“Oh, sweetheart. You poor thing. Are you okay now?”

“Yes, I think so. Ben healed my wounds.”

Leia squeezed her tighter, stroking her hair and Rey let her.

Leia mouthed to Ben over Rey’s shoulder: _Was he pack?_

Ben shook his head. _No_.

Rey pulled back and looked at Ben.

“Leia, this is...”

“My son.”

“Good morning, Momma.”

Ben smiled as he kissed Leia’s cheek.

Rey looked like she had seen a ghost.

_Ben was Leia’s son....._ Ittook a moment to sink in.

Ben reached for Rey’s hand. When he touched her to reassure her, the little blue sparks danced on the table.

Leia immediately honed in on that.

“Ha! I knew it! Both of you should have listened to me. I could have a grand baby by now if you would have listened to me a year ago!”

She moved Rey’s hair to inspect her neck.

“Where’s her claim mark?”

“Well mother, it’s complicated...”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t claimed her yet. Do you know how many males I’ve had to threaten just to keep her safe, how many I’ve had to take pack privileges from? Ben Kylo Solo, I ought to thrash you right here!”

Covering her mouth with her hand, Rey couldn’t help but smile. She remembered Leia saying she would spank her son. Now she could totally see it happening. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“Mother, May I have a word with you in private?”

“You can’t leave her sitting out here by herself with that scent. Are you crazy?”

“Ben, whatever you need to say to Leia, I wish you would just say to me. I’m a little confused as to why you won’t claim me yet as well.”

“Alright, but can we get some coffee first please Mother? You know how I am without coffee..”

Leia rolled her eyes at him. She was still pissed. She stepped away to get their coffee.

Ben turned his focus back to his mate.

“Rey, I need to tell you something first. In case you didn’t notice.... I love you.”

_His eyes were so soft..._

He kissed her across the table, holding both of her hands as sparks danced on it.

“I love you too.”

She pressed her forehead to his, and sighed in contentment. Her heart was overflowing.

“I know. I heard you say it inside my head when you saved me from my nightmare. Don’t be afraid to tell me how you are feeling, ever. I’m not rejecting you in any way. I know it may feel like that. I’m just trying to protect you.”

“Protect me from what? From you? You are everything I have ever wanted, Ben.”

“It’s just that, in my line of work, I see a lot of sexual assault victims. Most of them have problems afterwards. They have problems being intimate. I don’t want you to fear that. I don’t want you to fear me. I want to give you the time you need to heal from the trauma of your attack.”

“Ben, I don’t fear you. The way we have been together the last few days, it’s new for me, but it feels right. I’m not afraid.”

“That’s because it’s only been a few days. These things take time to manifest. I didn’t have nightmares about Iraq until I came home.”

“But that’s completely different.”

“It may not be so different, Rey. You were attacked. You can’t even say the word describing what he tried to do to you. It was traumatic. That piece of shit bruised you and cut you up.”

He choked on the last few words. He tried to push down his rage, but Rey saw it. She knew he wanted to kill her attacker. She knew the lengths that he would go to to protect her.

“I don’t care. All I will ever need is you. I trust you to get me through this.”

_Oh, my sweet Omega...those words were music to his Alpha ears..._

“When I give you my claim mark, I won’t be able to stop myself. I will mate you. I can barely control myself now.”

“Why is that a bad thing? I want you Ben, all of you.”

“You’re so young. When you receive my mark, it’s going to trigger your first heat. You will get pregnant. The suppressants don’t work on Royal blood, nothing does. Are you really ready to become a mother? I want a family with you, I want everything, but I need to make sure you know what you are choosing.”

“I’m choosing you.”

“Your life will be different from how it is now. You will be the Luna one day running North America at my side. I want nothing more than to be with you always, but I want it to be your choice. I won’t force you or tie you to me if it’s not really what you want.”

“Ben I want you. I love you. Please believe me.”

“I do believe that you _think_ I’m what you want, but you may not know any better. There’s nothing wrong with waiting, that way you will be sure.”

Before Rey could respond to that, Leia returned with the coffee and sat down. She noticed that Rey’s demeanor had changed. She looked solemn.

“I’ll make a deal with you, I want you to stay here with my mother for a few days and see what being the Luna is like. If you still think you are ready, then I will mark you under the next full moon.”

“Mother, is that alright with you?”

“If it’s what Rey wants. You can stay with me in my apartment upstairs and you can help me in the cafe if you want.”

She smiled at Rey. She knew how difficult Alphas could be at times, especially her son.

“My Mother is the only person I trust to keep you safe. What do you think Rey?”

“Is this really the only way to convince you that I’m ready?”

“Yes. Humor me. It’s only a day or two.”

“Fine. You promise to mark me this month?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“I’ll do it, but only because I want you to claim me sooner rather than later.”

Leia winked at her and gave her a little nod.

_Atta girl..._

“It’ll be fun. We’ll be fine, won’t we Rey?”

“Yes and we do have some catching up to do.”

She smiled. It warmed his heart. He was glad that Rey already loved his mother.

“It’s settled then.”

“Do you want me to get you some things from your apartment?”

“Sure if you want. Here’s my keys. I’ll text you my address, it’s just down the street.”

Leia mouthed to her across the table, we’re going shopping too.

Ben whispered something into his mother’s ear as he got up and Leia nodded.

“I texted you.”

Ben came around the table and kissed Rey on the top of her head.

“Bye Baby. See you a little later. I love you.”

His intense gaze made her stomach flip.

_You’re so Alpha..._

“Love you too.”

She looked up into his eyes, smiling.

Ben headed for the door.

Leia leaned in so she could whisper to Rey.

“Don’t worry Rey. We’ve got this. He’s going to be _begging_ you to let him bite you in a few days. He won’t make it to the full moon.”

“What?”

“Lesson number one. The Luna can quietly influence her Alpha to get what she wants without him even realizing it.”

Rey looked a little confused.

“How?”

“You’ll see. Just do what I tell you. It’s all going to work out beautifully.”

She gave Rey’s hand a squeeze.

“Oh, and welcome to the family.”

They were whispering to each other and giggling again.

_Thick as thieves....._

 

 ———————————-

 

Ben stepped out onto the street. Rey’s apartment was only two blocks from Solo’s and four from his building. Niima Outpost where she had worked was a block from him. How had he been so close to her for the past year and never met her?

He stood outside her building. It all made sense now. He had wondered how she could afford to live in Manhattan working in that dingy little shop. It was one of his mother’s buildings. She was probably charging her next to nothing, giving her the distressed pack member rate. Rey had been incorporated into the pack without even knowing anything about it.

His mother had been protecting her all along. What had she said?

_She had threatened and taken pack privileges away from some other males who had been trying to claim her...._

He wondered why she would have been so focused on Rey. Was it because she was one of the few Omegas? He would have to ask her later.

Her apartment was simple, a small studio with a kitchenette, a shower and a small Tv with a DVD player. He noticed that most of the titles she had were his favorites. Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, most of the Marvel movies.It was very clean. Little cuttings from various plants were in jars on the windowsill.

She had a small collection of unusual rocks she must have picked up. There was a bookshelf filled with well worn books, most of which he had also read. He wandered to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She had a few things in there. Some veggies, coconut milk and hummus, his favorite kind, too.

He checked out her bathroom. She used the same kind of toothpaste and mouthwash that he liked. Her towels and curtains were in hues of purple, as was the coverlet on her bed. It must be her favorite color.

She didn’t have any furniture so he sat down on her king sized bed. He wondered why she had such a large bed, in such a small apartment, and how she had told him that when she was on painkillers on the way home from the hospital. It smelled like her. Her scent was everywhere. He lay back and let it surround him, lieing his head on her pillows, where it was the strongest.

His mate. She was everything he had ever hoped for. Beautiful, smart and innocent. She was made for him. She even liked the same things he did. _Amazing_. If only he had found her sooner, she would have never been attacked, she would have been under his care and protection. The thought frustrated him. There was nothing to be done about it now.

He collected a few clothes from her closet and a pair of shoes and stuffed them into a bag. He looked around. Was there anything else she might need? She really didn’t have much, but that was about to change. She could have _anything_ she wanted from here on out.

——————————————

“So how does the whole Luna thing work?”

Leia chuckled.

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“I have no idea. I’ve been running this pack as the Alpha. My husband can’t do it because he’s a mere human, it’s just not allowed. He wouldn’t be able to handle the responsibility anyway. Most everything I do now, is going to be Ben’s responsibility, with the exception of one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Carrying the Alpha’s babies.”

“Really?”

“Rey, you and Ben can do whatever you want, just as long as the pack is taken care of.”

Leia grabbed Rey’s hand.

“C’mon. We’re going shopping.”

“But..”

“No buts.”

Leia dragged her to the back of the shop. A limo was waiting for them in the alley . A huge Beta held the door for them as they climbed into the back.

“Omar, take us to Sak’s.”

“Leia, I can’t afford to shop at Sak’s.”

“You’re family now. You’re the next Luna. You can have whatever you want. Besides, I keep accounts at all the pack stores. We don’t need money, I pay them all on a monthly basis.”

“But I couldn’t..”

“What did I say about buts..”

“We’re going shopping. Besides, it’s time you started dressing to show off the beautiful woman that you are, instead of hiding it. You’ve found your mate and once he’s claimed you, no one will ever make you feel like you need to hide again.”

Leia squeezed her hand and looked her in the eye. That was that.

They had shopped Sak’s. The sales woman bagged up all of her purchases and handed them to her. She bowed, baring her neck to Leia. That was it. Rey left with two dresses, four pairs of jeans, three casual tops, some lingerie, and three pairs of shoes.

They ducked back into the limo. Rey was sure they were going back to the shop.

“Omar, take us to Natsumi.”

“You do like Sushi?”

“Love it.”

“This is one of my favorite places.”

A spread of sushi and sashimi was set out in front of them.

“Oh my Gosh, Leia...how are we ever going to eat all of this?”

“Don’t worry, if you don’t, I will.”

She smiled. Rey believed her.

“We’ve got two more stops after this. Are you feeling up to it?”

“Yes, Leia, I feel fine. This is fun. A little overwhelming, but fun.”

She smiled widely.

“I want to take you to my stylist. He’ll show you how to do your make-up and maybe style your hair a little bit. When he’s done with you, Ben won’t know what hit him.”

She chuckled, imagining how sorry her son was going to be for not claiming Rey yet.

“Ben’s texting me.”

“Nope, don’t respond. He needs to feel the burn a little. No texting or talking on the phone, if he comes to the shop keep it brief. He’s already started regretting this by now. Oh, and no matter what, you are sleeping in my apartment tonight.”

“That seems kind of mean..”

“Sweetheart, do you want him to bite you or not?”

“More than anything.”

“Then do exactly what I say. It’s already working. I already know, he’s going to want to take you back tonight. But if you let him, he’ll still be trying to hold off on claiming you. You have to be strong. Trust me. I’ll help you.”

Rey nodded. She trusted Leia.

See, he’s texting me now too, next he’ll call Omar. But Omar won’t say anything.”

They finished eating and headed over to the stylist. Leon cut her hair into layers, highlighted it a bit and showed her how to style it. Then he applied some natural make up to her face, highlighting her eyes and lips. He clear coated her nails. He enhanced her natural beauty. It was hard to tell that she was even wearing make-up except for the gloss on her lips and the added length to her lashes.

“We’re going to Chanel next. Go ahead and put on that little Prada dress with the matching shoes we bought.”

Rey came out wearing the dress. It was a slim sheath dress with a wide pale pink colored belt. It made her waist look even smaller. The dress was black with an abstract pink pattern at the bottom. She wore matching Prada Rose suede flat sandals. She was stunning, and starting to look like the heiress she would become.

Leon gasped.

“Oh my dear, you look amazing. Doesn’t she look amazing, Leia?”

Leon was gushing.

“Rey, you do look stunning. I can’t wait for Ben to see you now. Leon, meet your next Luna.”

Leon covered his mouth with both hands in glee.

“Well If that’s the case she needs some diamond earrings or something. Why didn’t you say so before?”

“Because I wanted you to style her exactly as you have done. Good job Leon, and not a word to anyone. I guess we’re stopping at Tiffany’s too.”

He bowed and bared his neck to her.

————————————————

Ben walked back to Solo’s with Rey’s clothes. He didn’t see them anywhere when he stepped inside. He spoke to the day manager, Rose.

“Rose, is my mother in the back?”

“No, I think she left in the car with someone a while ago.”

“Ok. Can you put these in her office for me?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks Rose.”

He turned and walked out.

She had taken Rey somewhere? He thought they would stay in the shop where she would be safe. Damn, where could they be?

Who knew what threats were close to Rey. Omar was good, but not good enough. He needed to protect her himself. What had he been thinking leaving her with his mother...

These thoughts whirled around his head as he headed back to his apartment. All kinds of scenarios were running through his brain. What if someone bit her, or stole her? The worst part was, that this was his idea. He texted Rey and his mother both, but got no response. He called Omar’s cell.

“Omar, is my mother with you?”

“Yes sir.”

“Is everything alright?”

He tried to sound matter-of-fact. He didn’t want to seem as desperate as he was feeling.

“Yes sir.”

“Where are you?”

“She asked me not to say, sir.”

“Ok. Omar. Thank you.”

He hung up. Well at least they were ok. He was going to have to change the rules for tomorrow. She couldn’t go around unprotected. They would have to stay in the shop.

He stepped into his apartment. Their combined scent hit him immediately. It smelled good and right. He missed Rey already.

What if she decided to wait? How would he handle that? He didn’t even want to think about it now. There was nothing for him to do now but wait. His own apartment made him miss her even more. He couldn’t stay here. He felt unsettled. He decided to go for a run, to take his mind off of her.

He headed back down to the street and started running. He stopped once he got to Solo’s. They we’re still out. He would wait until they got back to bring her back home where she belonged. He went back to running.

——————————————

“Omar, take us to Chanel.”

“Why do we need to go to Chanel?”

“I’m sure Ben’s going to want to take you out soon. You need a dress.”

“But we just bought two.”

“Those are just casual dresses. You need something more formal, and maybe a handbag or two.”

She knew arguing with Leia would be futile.

They left Chanel with a little black dress, some sunglasses, a pair of shoes and two handbags. They got out of the car in front of Tiffany’s.

“I’ve always wanted to shop here.”

“Well, you are now. We need some jewelry. Maybe some earrings.”

Rey picked out some small diamond studs.

“Ooh, what about these cushion cut ones.”

“I didn’t see those. Oh, they’re beautiful...”

“Let’s get those.”

She noticed Rey eyeing the matching engagement ring.

Leia spoke to the attendant.

“We’ll take the earrings and the bracelet.”

She leaned in close and whispered something to the woman. Rey couldnt hear what she said. She bagged up her jewelry and gave her the little blue bag that she had always wanted, bowing and baring her neck to Leia.

Omar drove them back to Solo’s.

“Leia, I just wanted to thank you for everything. It’s really too much.”

“Nonsense. You’re welcome. Just take good care of my son. He loves you, you know. I’ve never seen him light up like he does when he looks at you.

I saw him kissing you at the cafe. He’s over the moon for you.”

Rey blushed.

“I know. I love him too. He’s everything I dared to hope for. I’m so glad I waited for him.”

“I am too. You have no idea how many Alphas were after you. The smart ones asked my permission to court you, they could tell that you were under my protection. But I said no every time. Somehow I just knew you were meant for my Ben. My brother Luke had told me he had a vision of you. That you were going to be an orphan living alone in the city. He described you to me before we even met. It turns out he was right and I’m so glad, Rey.”

“I’m glad too.”

“Although, we could have saved a lot of time if either of you would have just listened to me.”

She wagged her finger at Rey.

“How many times did I tell you you needed to meet my son?”

Rey winced.

“I know, a lot.”

“Well I’m glad you’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

“Omar, let us out here.”

Omar stopped the limo. They were a few blocks from the shop.

“I hope you don’t mind if we walk a little bit. Omar will take care of your things.”

“No, that’s fine.”

They had been walking for a while when Ben ran by with his shirt off.

He did a double take and kept going.

“What the heck?”

“I don’t think he recognized you and I know he didn’t see me.”

When they reached Solo’s, a sweaty Ben was waiting for them.

Leia stayed outside.

“Go in there Rey and see if he recognizes you.”

They were giggling.

“Oh and no matter what, don’t agree to go home with him.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Ben was standing at the counter talking to Rose.

Rey got in line behind him. She was wearing her Chanel sunglasses.

The girl next to Rose took her order.

“Yes, I’d like a small mocha please.”

She could see Ben staring at her out of the corner of her eye. He was trying not to look at her. He wasn’t sure.

Finally, she sent to his mind:

“ _Like what you see, Alpha?”_

“Oh my God. Rey. I’m so glad it’s you!”

He pulled her into his arms.

“Uh, you’re kind of sweaty.”

She wrinkled her nose at him.

Leia was watching through the window. Rey saw her bend over laughing.

He led them to their table. He started talking very quickly.

“I saw you on the street and I was immediately attracted to you, but the way you’re dressed and your hair, It didn’t compute that it was you, so then I started feeling really guilty that I was looking at someone else. I mean what kind of a True Mate does that, because I love you with all my heart and here I was gawking at someone else. I’m so smelly myself right now, I couldn’t pick up your scent. Anyway, thank God it’s you. You look amazing. I love your hair. You’re even more beautiful. I didn’t think it was possible, but you are. I guess you two went shopping then...”

“You’re right. You are smelly.”

She busted out laughing.

“We saw you do a double-take. I guess you didn’t see your mother..”

“No, of course I didn’t see her.”

“So, I leave you alone for a few hours and you decide to go for a run with your shirt off to pick up women.”

“Rey, uh. No. I was only attracted because it’s you.”

“How do I know that? You didn’t even know it was me. I mean this was your idea. You’re the one that wanted me to stay here for a few days. How do I know you aren’t out picking up women while I’m here.”

“Rey, I would never want anyone else but you.”

He looked desperate.

“I know Baby. I’m just kidding.”

“Oh my God. Don’t do that to me!”

They were both laughing when Leia walked up.

“Hi son. Whew, you need to shower.”

“Rey, we have a few things we need to do.”

“Alright Leia. See you in a few days then Ben.”

She got up to leave with Leia.

Ben grabbed her arm.

“Wait. Uh. I changed my mind. I want you to come home with me tonight.”

“Sorry Baby, a deal’s a deal.”

She turned and walked away with Leia without looking back.

 

_Shit. I’ve made a huge mistake._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying with this readers. I think we have one more chapter after this one.. if you like it, let me know.


	5. Time Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben suffers, Rey learns about the Pack

Rey and Leia watched Ben through a crack in the door. He looked lost. It was obvious he regretted sending her away to stay with Leia. He held his head and appeared to be muttering something to himself.

“Poor Baby.”

Rey frowned.

“He made this bed, let him lie in it for a while.”

“I know you are right and it’s only another day or so, but still. Look at him. He looks miserable.”

“That’s right, and it will all be worth it when he claims you.”

Leia led her upstairs to her apartment, if you could call it that. It was more like a mansion hidden inside a building that looked old and plain on the outside.

The bottom floor was the Cafe and the Daycare Center and the Gym. The top 4 floors were Leia’s home. A massive metalwork spiral staircase jutted through the center of the building, joining the four floors. There were over a dozen bedrooms, a ballroom and an enormous dining room with a table large enough to seat fifty people comfortably. She had a staff of live-in servants including a chef, a lady’s butler and several maids.

Everything inside screamed old world Europe. There were several very expensive oil paintings and other priceless pieces of art. It was truly shocking to Rey.

“I had Omar put your things in the Purple Room. Make yourself at home. I’m going to take a little nap. Dinner is at 6. And remember, no talking to or texting Ben.”

“Thank you, Leia.”

She lay down on her bed too. She thought about everything that had transpired. It was a lot to take in. Was she ready for children, to be the Luna, for marriage? She didn’t know. The only thing she did know for sure was that she wanted to be with Ben. Everything else would fall into place. She missed him.

——————————

Ben couldn’t believe it. Rey didn’t want to come home with him. He hadn’t expected that from her, at all.

_This was not good._

Maybe she was thinking about waiting.

_What had he done?_

He got up and walked home in a daze. He showered. He hadn’t eaten all day, but didn’t feel like it anyway. All he could think about was her. What if she changed her mind and why had he encouraged her to in the first place? Nothing made sense anymore.

He needed her by his side. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe.

He had to let her know how important she was to him, how much he _loved_ her.

As if Leia were reading his mind, she sent him a text.

It was a picture of an engagement ring.

“Rey noticed this ring when we were at Tiffany’s today. I bought her all the other pieces that match it. It’s on hold for you there if you want to get it for her. Don’t mess this up.”

Yes. He would get her the ring and propose to her properly. Take her out tomorrow night, somewhere really nice and ask her to marry him. Then he would claim her. There would be no more waiting, no more separation, no more of this pain. She would be his forever.

—————-

Rey and Leia dined together in the library. There were books from floor to ceiling and all sorts of exotic things that Leia had collected over the years.

“Wow. Your home is not what I expected. Who knew all of this was up here..”

“We try to keep a low profile most of the time. The pack keeps our secrets. We don’t really want the rest of the world noticing all that we have. It would only be a matter of time before they would find a reason to try and take it from us.

To the outside world, I’m just a woman running a cafe. To the pack, I’m a queen and Ben’s a prince. That makes you a princess.”

She smiled warmly at Rey.

“When we’re done eating, I’ll show you the rest of it.”

“Wait. There’s more?”

“Sweetheart, you have no idea...”

—————————————————-

Ben called Fin. He needed to talk to his friend, to get his opinion as someone who was not inside his head.

“Hey partner, you off yet?”

He tried to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah, I’m just walking out.”

“You wanna go grab a beer?”

“Sure. What about your mate?”

“I’ll tell ya’ when I see you.”

“All right, I’ll pick you up out front in five.”

Ben grabbed his keys and headed downstairs. He paced the sidewalk nervously, he was so on edge. Nothing would settle him until he knew Rey was coming back. He was still reeling from her rejection.

Fin pulled up and Ben slid into the passenger’s seat.

“You wanna’ go to Rattle n’ Hum?”

“Sure. Whatever.”

“So what’s going on? Why aren’t you on your wolfy-honeymoon or something?”

“I fucked-up Fin. I don’t know man......I may have lost her.”

“What? I mean aren’t you True Mates or something? I mean can you even do that? How would that even work?”

“I haven’t claimed her yet, which means she could choose someone else, or someone else could claim her.”

“Well if that’s the case....where is she? You gonna’ let her out of your sight? I mean couldn’t someone steal her from you?”

“Yes. I need a drink first, before I tell you all of it.”

“Ok. Man. It’s cool. I’m here for you Bro.”

A few minutes later they pulled up outside of the bar.

—————————————-

Leia and Rey finished their dinner.

“Come on Princess, let me show you the rest of the palace.”

Leia got up and pushed a button on the end of one of the bookshelves. The whole shelf slid to the side to reveal an elevator.

Rey’s mouth dropped open. They stepped in.

“Ok, so the Daycare downstairs is for the Pack, as is the Gym. Below that, are four more underground levels.”

She pressed the UL 4 button.

“Traditionally, the Luna helps to care for the children of the pack. I’m sure you may know that it is common to have multiple births. So our breeding females can really have their hands full, especially if they also have to work. If you want to, you can oversee the center. You don’t have to, you may decide to do something else, but I’m just letting you know this is the traditional role of the Luna.”

“I understand.”

The elevator opened.

This is the Lowest level. She stepped out. We have medical facilities down here. A full hospital actually in the event of a major emergency, or for something that we don’t want the outside world to see. They walked downpast a fully functioning ER. At the end of the Hall, Leia opened another door.

“This is the bomb shelter/Emergency Quarters. We have enough food and water to last the entire pack for three years and enough space to protect the entire Manhattan Pack.”

“Unbelievable.”

They walked back to the elevator. Leia pressed UL3.

“This next level is where the tunnels are. There’s not a lot to see, but our tunnels can be accessed via hidden portals in the subway as well as in the basements of the pack buildings. That way, if there’s an emergency, everyone can get to the shelter quickly.”

“Leia, it sounds like you think the people without wolfblood are going to attack us or something.”

“Historically speaking, it happens. We just want to be prepared. The pack must always come first.”

“This next level is need-to-know only. This is the control room.”

Leia used a code to get the elevator to open. It looked like NCIS OPS inside. There were cameras surveilling pack houses from all over North America. There were at least fifty people working inside.

“This is the heart of our security for the pack in North America. On the other end we have a firing range.”

They went up one more level.

“This is our pack meeting space. Technically a Throne Room. Leia waved her hand to the raised Dias, where two ornate thrones were lit up. When we meet, there will be over seven thousand people in this room.”

“Leia, I had no idea. This is mind boggling.”

“Try not to get overwhelmed. This will all fall on Ben. It’s time he started preparing for this. I’m not going to live forever.”

“Oh Leia, don’t say that.”

“Well it’s the truth.”

“It may be, but I just found out that my best friend is the mother of the man I love, so your not allowed to die yet.”

She smiled at her.

“C’mon, lets go have a drink.”

Before long they were back in the library sipping on cocktails.

She wondered what Ben was doing. She missed his scent. She felt a little tipsy. The only thing she wanted was Ben.

 ——————

Fin looked at Ben in disbelief over his Guinness.

The bar was relatively quiet. A few guys were watching the game. It was a good place to talk.

“You made her wait, even though she was begging you to bite her, then you sent her away. What the hell were you thinking man?”

“I just wanted to give her time. She deserves that. But sending her away was a mistake. The thing is, I knew I couldn’t keep my hands off of her much longer. We had been sleeping together in my bed. I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t still too traumatized from the attack. I didn’t want her to fear me.”

“Fin slapped him on the shoulder and looked him right in the eye. Ben, when a woman asks you to bite her, you bite her. If she wasn’t ready, she wouldn’t have asked. You made her beg, not only that, you sent her away. No wonder she wouldn’t come home with you. You’ve confused the fuck out of her. What are you going to do?”

“Clear up any confusion about where I stand tomorrow night at La Grenouille with a big rock in my pocket.”

“Now you’re on the right track. That’s good.”

“I just hope she’ll say yes.”

He threw back the rest of his Crown.

“I’m sure she will, man. Just don’t fuck it up.”

He hoped Fin was right.

After another Crown, Ben decided to he wanted to walk home.

He felt a little drunk. He hadn’t eaten all day. All he wanted was Rey.

He returned to his penthouse. As soon as he hit the door, he wished he was anywhere else. His apartment was a reminder of her absence.

How had this so quickly become their apartment?

He couldn’t eat or sleep. All he could think about was Rey. How had he survived before without her? He paced around his apartment like a caged animal.

Eventually, he sat down in his chair and clicked on The Late Late Show. Anything to distract him from his tumultuous thoughts would do. He dozed off in his chair for awhile.

He awoke from his usual nightmare with a start.

Fuck.

He tried to calm himself, but really he was a sweaty emotional mess.

If Rey were there he knew he would simply go back to sleep. But she wasn’t, and that was the problem.

He needed to be closer to her. He decided to walk down to Solo’s, just to make sure everything was secure.

_Yeah, sure. That was it._

It only took him a few minutes to get there.

He could smell her from the street. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. She must have a window open or something.

Would it be wrong to just go up and check on her? It was 3 am. No one would be awake.

It was never wrong to ensure her safety. He was just going to close her window. Her scent wafting around on the street was dangerous.

He slipped around back and punched his code in the elevator to his Mother’s rooms. The elevator seemed really loud. No one was awake yet. That was good. He just followed his nose to her.

Her door was locked.

Fuck.

He leaned his head against the door and just breathed in her scent. It was all he could do. He wasn’t going to wake anyone up. How would that look?

_Weak. That’s how it would look. He was weak._

He was trembling with his need to just lay eyes on her, to touch her. This was madness. He had officially lost his mind.

He decided to leave her a note. He would make this right today. He found a pen and paper in the study.

 

_Rey,_

_Please join me for dinner at 6 at La Grenouille. Just have Omar drive you. I will be waiting for you there. I miss you and love you so much._

_Ben_

 

He slid the note under her door and eventhough he gave serious consideration to just curling up right there for the rest of the night, he left.

He wasn’t going back to his apartment. He was going to hers. At least he might be able to sleep in her bed, immersed in her sweet scent. It was worth a try.

He jogged the two blocks to her building. He was hit with everything Rey as soon as he got to the door.

Ben sank into her bed. Her scent did comfort him, but it also aroused him.

_Of course it did._

Thoughts of what he wanted to do to her danced in his head all night long. He didn’t really sleep.

If anything, her apartment just made him want her more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting closer. This story will come to a close.


	6. Getting Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben prepare for their dinner date.

Rey woke up to Leia tugging on her arm.

  
“Rey, we’ve got things to do. Wake up sleepyhead!”

  
“Ugh. Leia, what time is it?”

  
“Time to go to work downstairs. Oh, and it looks like Ben snuck in here in the middle of the night and left you a note”

  
“He did?”

  
“Read it.”

  
“He wants to take me to dinner tonight at La Grenouille at 6. Oh Leia, tell me I can..... I miss him so much.”

  
“Yes, of course you can. We’re going to bring out the little black Chanel for this one. It’s a very expensive French restaurant, oh and I’ll call Leon. He’ll help you get ready.”

  
“Do I still have to stay here? Can I go home with him?”

  
“I guess it just depends on what you talk about over dinner. I’ll let you decide what’s best.”

  
She was so excited.

  
_Please don’t mess this up, Ben...._

_  
———_

 

  
Rey helped Leia behind the counter at the Cafe for awhile. It was strange to be on the other side of the counter. She noticed than many of the customers discreetly bowed their heads and bared their necks to Leia.

 _Pack_.

  
How had she never noticed this before?

  
Leia taught her how to use the expresso machine. It was an antique beast from Italy, copper with an eagle on the top. Leia laughed at her when she jumped the first time the steam escaped. She wondered why the Luna of North America was working so hard in her little cafe when she could be anywhere doing anything she wanted.

  
This must be where she wanted to be.

  
After the morning rush, they went to the daycare. The toddlers flocked around Leia like a moth to a flame.

When she introduced Rey they flocked around her too. An older boy of about four asked her,

  
“Are you a _Wuna_ too?”

  
“Not yet, but maybe one day.”

  
He smiled and hugged her before running off to play.

  
She smiled up at Leia.

  
“I could see myself doing this.”

  
Leia chuckled.

  
“You say that now. Wait until you have three or four of your own...”

  
“Three or four?”

  
“I told you we usually have multiples. It’s a wolfy thing.”

  
“But you only have Ben.”

  
“Yes, because his father is human. Royal blood is much stronger than regular wolves. Maybe you’ll have seven or eight..”

  
The blood visibly drained from Rey’s face.

  
“Eight at once?”

  
“Don’t panic. I’m kidding. Well, about eight at once..

But you will get pregnant. There’s no stopping that.

Not unless you are going to resist each other, which is also damn near impossible once you hit your first heat.”

  
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

  
“Good. I can’t wait for grand babies. That was a test to see if you would run away screaming....”

  
They laughed over it together.

  
“I love your son, Leia. I’m not running anywhere unless it leads straight to him.”

  
“That’s what I like to hear. C’mon, let’s go get some lunch.”

  
They headed up to her rooms to dine.

  
They ate and she took a little nap. Before she knew it, Leon was knocking on her door to help her get ready for her dinner with Ben.

  
————

  
Ben had dozed for an hour or so at Rey’s. He was wiped out physically and emotionally. He wasn’t going to be able to rest until Rey came home to him.

He jogged back to his apartment, promising himself he wasn’t going in to Solo’s today.

He dressed in one of his casual suits and called a car to take him to Tiffany’s.

  
They had held the ring for him. It was an 8 carat cushion cut solitaire set in platinum.

He chose an Alexandrite wedding band to match. Purple was her favorite color after all.

He got back in the car and headed to Leon’s.

  
Leon was shocked to see him. Ben had never been much for using a stylist.

Leon picked out a black Armani suit for him and altered it to fit him perfectly.

He trimmed his hair and gave him a shave. He buffed his nails and groomed his eyebrows for him.

  
“Ben Solo, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so good. Rey is going to be shocked.”

  
“You know my Rey?”

  
“Uh, well I’m not supposed to say. Whoops. Don’t tell Leia.”

  
“It’s alright Leon, I appreciate the help. God knows I don’t do this sort of thing often.”

  
He thanked Leon and left. His driver took him home.

The ride back to his apartment was more of him thinking about Rey. He was going to see her in a few hours.

His heart sped up at the mere thought of her.

  
He picked up His cell and called his father. They didn’t talk much or often, but Ben knew if he asked him for something, he would deliver. Especially for something like this. When he hung up with Han, he texted his mother. She was probably going to flip-out over what he was planning to do.

  
——————

  
Leon set up shop in Rey’s sitting room. There was a floor to ceiling mirror there.

He hung up several dresses and laid out about eight different pairs of shoes.

  
“I thought I was wearing the black Chanel tonight.”

  
“Maybe, but I brought a few new things to try. It is summer after all. I wanted to see what you would look like in white.”

  
“Alright. I know you know what you are doing.”

  
Leon nodded.

  
“Hell yeah, I do.”

  
They laughed.

  
He started on her hair and make-up first.

  
He added a little more color to her eyes than last time. It was just short of a “smoky” look, highlighted with greens that brought out her eyes.

  
He painted her lips a sheer wine color that tasted sweet.

  
Her hair was curled and plumped up in volume.

  
When he was done he told her to go put on the lingerie he had brought with him.

  
“Uh, Leon? How do I get this thing on?”

  
She was struggling with the bustier.

  
She put on the tiny white lace panties.

  
Leon had to help her hook the bustier.

  
He handed her a white Steve McQueen to try on.

  
“What do you think?”

  
“Um. Nice but go ahead and try on the Chanel.”

  
She came out in a white Chanel tea length. The top was strapless. It had an empire waist and cascading layers of white silk chiffon.

  
“Perfect. You look stunning, absolutely stunning.”

  
“Thank you, Leon. It’s all you.”

  
“No my dear, it’s you. You are a very beautiful woman. Ben is going to drop dead when he sees you.”

  
He was sincere.

  
“Oh. I almost forgot. Leia wanted me to give you this”

  
He handed Rey a little handwritten note.

 

_Rey,  
I wanted to see you off on your date, but something urgent came up. I will see you later. _

_I’m sure Leon has made you look like the stunning young princess you are._

_Enjoy your time with Ben. Omar will get you there on time. I love you sweetheart._

_  
Leia_

 

She wiped away a tear. No one had ever treated her so much like a daughter. She had found a mother in Leia.

  
“Ah. Hey, no crying now, or I’ll have to start all over. Let’s choose the shoes now and then we have to be on our way.”

  
“Ok Leon. Nothing too high.”

  
“Baby girl, I already know...”

  
She chose some low heeled beaded sandals, Chanel again.

 

  
“Ooh. Your jewelry from Tiffany’s, and don’t forget your handbag.”

  
She put her diamonds on. She was ready. Her stomach had butterflies.

She couldn’t wait to see Ben. Why was she so jittery? There was an excitement in the air, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Omar was waiting for her in the alley.

  
She slid into the back seat.

  
—————-

  
Ben arrived a La Grenouille. He stepped inside and let the maitra de’ know he had arrived and then stepped back outside to wait for Rey.

  
His mother’s car pulled up. Omar opened the door.

He looked down and saw the most beautiful woman in all creation take his hand as he helped her out of the car.

Blue sparks danced on their skin. His heart lept inside his chest.

 

_My beautiful mate._

_  
Alpha..._

  
Ben couldn’t contain himself. It seemed like she had been away from him for an eternity.

  
“Rey, I don’t think I can stay away from you any longer.”

  
He pressed her up against the wall of the restaurant, caging her smaller frame beneath his.

He spoke softly into her ear as he savored the feel of her body pressed against his, and her intoxicating scent.

  
“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You were made for me and I for you.

We are like magnets, we are supposed to be together and it feels right and good.

I thought I could hold out and give you the time that you needed, but I find myself completely weak with wanting you.

I thought I was stronger than this, but I’m not.”

  
He gazed into her eyes. He saw heat there.

  
“I can’t eat, can’t sleep, I am completely consumed with thinking about you.

I don’t want to lose you. I’m sorry I sent you away. Please forgive me.”

  
“Ben, of course I forgive you. You don’t need to stay away from me.

I don’t want you to. I am fine and I am ready.

Please don’t make me wait any longer.”

  
She reached up and touched his face.

  
“Please, Baby. Take what is yours.”

 

She blinked up at him. 

 

“Claim me, my strong Alpha.”

  
She bared her neck to him, tilting her head to the side, waiting.


	7. Only the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something expected and unexpected happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well friends. This is it. I’ve enjoyed writing this and I have to submit this today as a completed work for a challenge. Because it’s for a challenge and was originally supposed to be three chapters, I’ve kept it a little cleaner than normal. I’ve left the door open for a sequel if you guys want one. I hope you enjoy this. Xoxo
> 
> I will be working on completing my other two fics in the meantime.   
> The Lycan in You and I another Star Wars Reylo ABO and Stay a Star Wars Romance with a little wolfyness thrown in. 
> 
> I’d love to hear what you think!

“Rey, I want nothing more than to claim you and I’m going to do it very, very soon, I promise, but I’m not going to do it here on the street.

I want it to make it special for you. It want to do it right.”

He smiled at her.

She smiled back.

He took her lips in the gentlest kiss and sighed. His whole body relaxed. This was right. He wasn’t whole without her.

He tucked her under his arm and escorted her to their table on the upper balcony. It was very private.

He pulled out her chair for her and she sat down. He held her hand and spoke softly to her.

“I missed you so much. I don’t know what I was thinking, sending you away. I just wanted to be sure that you were ready, I didn’t want you to fear me. But you kept trying to tell me and I wasn’t listening to you.”

He rubbed little circles with his thumb on her hand.

“I missed you too, Ben. Please don’t ever put me through that again. Whatever happens, we’ll get through it together. I firmly believe that. I believe in you.”

“I promise Baby, I won’t. I promise. I need you by my side. I am here for you. I’ll try to be a better listener for you.”

He kissed her wrist, rubbed it on his neck glands, wanting her scent on him.

“Rey, I realized I can’t breathe without you. We can never be apart, ever.”

He kissed her head, then her cheek.

“Which brings me to why I wanted to bring you here tonight...”

He got down on one knee.

“Rey, I love you so much. There can never be another for me. I’ll always put your care above my own. I promise to do everything in my power to ensure your happiness and safety. You have my heart, my protection and if necessary, my very life. I am yours and you are mine. Rey, my beautiful little Omega, will you marry me?”

He presented her with the ring.

She didn’t speak or move. It seemed like an eternity went by. His voice shook:

“Please.”

She covered her mouth with her hands. Tears streamed down her face.

She still hadn’t answered.

_Oh God, she’s going to say no....._

He swallowed hard, his lips trembled as he fought to hold back tears of his own.

She finally choked out the word.

“Yes.”

He put the ring on her finger and pulled her down onto his knee, wrapping his arms around her securely.

“Oh my God, Baby......there for a minute I thought you were going to say no...”

“I love you. I can never tell you no, Alpha.”

They shared a slow intoxicating kiss that left them both panting. Ben pressed his forehead to hers.

“Good. Because we’re getting married tonight.”

He sat down and seated her on his lap. He needed to touch her and feel her body against his. The waiter appeared and Ben spoke to him in French.

“I didn’t know you could speak French.”

“I speak seven languages, it was part of my upbringing as the heir apparent.”

“Do you like the ring?”

“I love it, Ben. It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”

She held out her hand and admired it.

“Do you know what I like best about the ring?”

“Tell me.”

“It means that I’m yours.”

She nuzzled into his neck, rubbing her scent glands on his.

She felt his hands tighten around her waist as pleasure coursed through them both.

They were panting again. Ben pulled back.

“You keep that up and we’re not going to make it through dinner.”

She settled back into his chest, liking the feel of his arms around her.

The first three courses were brought out. They ate off of the same plate with Rey still sitting on his lap.

“We have about an hour to eat and then we have to go.”

“So what’s your plan for tonight, really?”

“Oh, I’m not telling. It’s all a surprise, all for you.”

“Are we really getting married?”

“Yes, Baby. I want you to be mine forever.”

He bent his head and placed a kiss behind her ear.

Rey sucked in a breath. His mouth was so close to her gland, it was making her burn for him again.

“Oh God Ben...”

I want you Alpha...

He stroked her hair and whispered into her ear,

“I want you more.”

His voice sent a chill down her spine.

They were interrupted by the main course being brought out, pheasant with roasted potatoes and spring vegetables.

Ben fed her little bites of the meat and rubbed the small of her back. His heart was so full. He wanted to always care for her like this. If he had it his way, he would hand feed her all of her meals and carry her around everywhere like a cave man.

Finally, it was time to go. He carried her to the car. She lay her head on his chest and enjoyed the feel of his muscles flexing underneath her body. Omar had put the screen up between the front and back seats. Ben set her down and wrapped her up in his arms.

My precious, precious mate.

He stroked her hair and sheltered her in his arms, drugging her with his soft kisses.

She sighed into his mouth.

I love you, Alpha..

She was in Omega heaven.

She had never felt more protected and loved in her entire life.

Her strong Ben.

The car stopped.

They were at the downtown Manhattan Heliport.

Ben carried her to the helicopter.

The pilot took off and they had a magnificent view of the city, all lit up.

Rey was a little nervous and squeezed Ben’s hand.

“Be calm, little mate, we’re almost there.”

The helicopter landed on a ship, the Millennium Falcon.

Leia was waiting for them at the bottom of the helipad as Ben carried her down from the platform.

Ben set Rey onto her feet and smiled down at her.

Leia hugged her fiercely.

“Come on Rey, let’s get you ready. Ben, your father is waiting for you on the bridge.”

He let go of Rey’s hand. He didn’t want to.

Leia led her to a huge cabin below deck. She opened the closet. It was full of clothes and shoes.

“These are your things, I hope you like what I chose for you. Leon helped, but we didn’t have a lot of time.”

“Oh. Thank you, I’m sure it will all be wonderful.”

“And don’t worry, Han and I will be taking the helicopter back tonight, so it will just be you and Ben on the ship for your honeymoon.”

Rey hadn’t even thought about it.

“So. How was dinner? Had he regretted sending you to me very much?”

Leia chuckled.

“We didn’t even make it in to the restaurant before he was apologizing and kissing me.”

“See. I told you so.”

“Yes, you were right.”

Leia set to fluffing up her hair and touching up her make-up.

“Are you ready to marry my son tonight?”

“More than ready and I’m so glad you’re here. I was afraid you were going to miss it.”

“Ben knows better than to try and do that. Although giving me a mereeight hours to plan for the wedding and get everything on to the ship was a bit ambitious.”

“I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble.”

“Nonsense. This is your wedding. Of course I want it to be perfect for you.”

She picked up a diamond encrusted crown.

“This was my mother’s. I’d like you to have it.”

“But Leia..”

“No buts.”

She held back her tears.

“Thank you.”

Leia placed it on her head.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

She kissed her cheek.

“Here’s Ben’s ring. I hope you don’t mind that I had to pick it out for you.”

“No. It’s perfect.”

She started to get a little teary at the thought of Ben wearing a wedding ring for her.

_He would be hers._

“Oh, I almost forgot. Leon sent this over.”

She attached a small train to the back of her dress.

“So that’s why we switched to white...”

Leia smiled warmly at her.

She handed her a bouquet of lavender-colored roses.

“My favorite..”

“Let’s go. Ben’s waiting for you.”

Leia led Rey up to the bow of the ship.

There was a long white carpet laid out. Swags of lavender and white roses lined the path to Ben who was waiting for her with the official. There were little white lights strung everywhere and a string quartet played the wedding march. Leia walked her down the aisle toward the rose-laden arch.

Ben was gazing at her with intense love on his face. He was so handsome. The wind tousled his mane of blue-black hair as he stood there in the moonlight looking decadent in his tuxedo, a prime specimen of masculinity. Her Alpha.

 _Mine_.

Leia handed her to Ben.

His hands were shaking and his lips were trembling, seeing her walk down the aisle to him was unbelievable. She was beauty incarnate, and she was going to be his.

“Rey, words cannot describe your beauty.”

His voice came out as a whisper.

The officiant, the Captain of the ship apparently, cleared his throat.

“Rey, This is my father, Han Solo.”

He took her hand and kissed it.

“Nice to meet you, Rey. Are you ready to get married?”

“Yes sir.”

“Great. Let’s do this.”

Ben had asked for the old ceremony, the traditional wolf ceremony, the sammenføjning. Practically no one used it anymore. It was thousands of years old, steeped in tradition and mysticism.

Han spoke the words of joining, but Ben didn’t hear them. All he could do was gaze at his bride, his mate, his everything. There were tears on her face, tears of joy. He realized he had them too and wiped his face, just before they exchanged their rings. As he pushed the alexandrite wedding band on her finger and the blue sparks danced across their joined hands, the instinctual wolfblood vow left his lips.

“I claim you as my true mate. I am your destined Alpha. I will love you and protect you for all eternity. I am yours and you are mine. Will you accept me as yours?”

He tilted his head to the side baring his neck to her, showing his submission to her choice.

Rey heard Leia let out a sob.

Rey slid the ring onto his finger. This time, their hands glowed and pulsed with blue light.

Leia and Han both gasped.

“I accept you as my true mate, my strong Alpha. I am your destined Omega. I will love you and remain at your side for all eternity. I am yours and you are mine.”

She tilted her head and bared her neck to him. Her scent gland glowed with pulsing blue light.

_Why was it glowing?_

Han sounded a little choked-up when he said,

“You may claim your bride.”

No one had expected what happened next.

At those words, Ben’s expression of raw love turned to urgency as he pulled her close and sank his teeth into her glowing scent gland, a primal instinct driving him beyond all reason of time and place to do it.

A blinding white light enveloped them as he took her neck, and nibbled his mark there, sucking on her blood and swooning with pleasure. Rey’s legs had gone out from under her, and he scooped her up into his arms as he continued to take her neck. He could feel her body quaking from the throes of her pleasure in his arms. Visions danced before their eyes. Visions of the past and of what seemed to be the future. Their minds were joined, they were both seeing the same things.

Han ran around the pillar of light to Leia, who was awestruck.

“The prophecy....I need to talk to Luke..”

“I know Leia, let’s give them some privacy. They are not going to be happy with us if we witness them mating when they come down.”

Han led Leia to the Helicopter at the back of the ship and notified the crew to stay clear of the bow, ignoring any strange lights they might encounter.

Rey spoke to Ben’s mind.

“ _Your parents...”_

_“Have left the ship.”_

The pillar of light changed to blue as Ben closed her mark with his tongue. They were still engulfed in a pillar of light.

“We have important things to do, my sweet little wife.”

He breathed the words into her ear as he quickly removed their clothes.

Their bodies pulsed with blue light under their skin, everywhere they touched. There was no getting close enough. Each point of contact pulsed and burned intensifying their desire for one and other.

“I saw that. Shall we get started then husband?”

His growl sent shivers down her spine as he lay her down and pressed his body into hers, mating her for the very first time. Once again they were engulfed in blinding white light, their bodies shuddering together in a loop of endless pleasure.

Because of what they had seen in their shared vison, they knew one thing without a doubt.

This was only the beginning.


End file.
